How to Create a Medium Risk Portfolio
This post focuses on a technique to attain medium risk in your portfolio with a value investing approach. “Medium risk” seems to be an elusive term, which was well illustrated in the bear market of 2008. In Nassim Taleb’s book he...
What is a Ponzi Scheme?
The Madoff scandal may have you asking: What exactly is a Ponzi scheme? The essence of a Ponzi scheme is better known today as a pyramid scheme. In 1920, a Boston investment broker named Charles Ponzi told investors that he could earn...
Madoff, “Hmm.. let’s report 36.2% gains “
“I really think very highly of him, people make mistakes,” wrote a Madoff confidant and NYSE broker. At a party over the weekend I met a nice girl from Boston University, and I forgot to ask for her number when...
Verizon – Stocks That Can Defend High Dividends
In October, Verizon Communications (VZ) raised their quarterly dividend 7% to $.46 a share from $.43 cents, with a dividend yield at today’s price now 5.67%. Verizon should be able to defend its dividend in the next 12 months. The...
Benjamin Graham on Market Behavior
In Security Analysis, Benjamin Graham emphasizes the importance of not only focusing on a firm’s potential and accounting statements, but to also pay great attention to the business cycle. Individual investors should research and create their own one year outlook...
Real Estate Outlook
After a year where we felt housing prices drop precipitously, the previous decade of strong real estate appreciation seems forgone. The credit crunch has drained the pool of home buyers to mostly families with impressive credit scores and the ability...
Who is Timothy Geithner?
Is the 47 year old Timothy Geithner prepared for arguably Barack Obama’s most important appointment? The first decisions made by Mr. Geithner will clearly be crucial to the U.S.’s economic future, as Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff emphasized, “the decisions that...
Jim Cramer Says Don’t Worry About Sub-Prime
Sometimes the spontaneity of the market makes me doubt my investment competence. This now ridiculously off the mark clip from Jim Cramer in July 2007 reminds us that we are all only human and we shouldn’t put too much faith...